


Requiem

by AoiTsukikage



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Character Study, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 09:12:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7526881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoiTsukikage/pseuds/AoiTsukikage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I hate to admit it, you idiot, but we might actually need you. What good are Knights without a King to lead them?" he snorts, kicking at the sand idly with the toe of his shoe. "Look at me, talking to the air like you're dead or something," his voice catches on the word because, in a way, it's true.  (IzuLeo // spoilers for Lionheart)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Requiem

**Author's Note:**

> req·ui·em (ˈrekwēəm): _noun_ ; a Mass for the repose of the souls of the dead.

He finds himself at the beach by Leo's house again.   
  
It's not a conscious decision on his part, since he has no desire to go to Leo's house (he hasn't been back since picking up the form for the DDD, and all that had amounted to was Ruka passing it through the door and him leaving five seconds after he'd gotten there). His reasons for that are twofold - in part it's because he has nothing to say to Leo, but maybe the bigger reason is that he's _afraid_ to face Leo after what he'd done.   
  
Maybe Leo doesn't care, although Izumi honestly doubts that, but how does one face the person they made a vow to when they've failed to keep it? And not just failed, but failed spectacularly enough that he's managed to drag all of Knight – Leo’s Knights, the Knights that were supposed to be noble and just and stand for something - down with him.   
  
Bad enough that his own reputation is ruined, though he can handle being hated since he spends a good deal of time being as prickly as possible, but the others didn't deserve that, and the name of Knights deserved it even less.   
  
That they haven't abandoned him or shunned him completely is amazing enough, really, but that Naru-kun is so determined to bring them back to their former glory, that all of them are willing to work together to make it happen when none of it was their fault in the first place, that gives him a strange twisting feeling in his stomach that makes him entirely uncomfortable.   
  
Maybe it's guilt. Or gratitude. Or some other fleeting emotion that he's tried to pretend he's been incapable of feeling for so long, but he'd be an even bigger asshole than he's willing to portray himself as if he let them do all the work themselves when he's the cause of it.   
  
Not that Naru-kun would believe him if he said he had no interest in trying to right the wrongs he'd created, since he can see right through Izumi. It's annoying, but maybe Izumi appreciates it a little bit, since he can count on him to keep him heading mostly in the right direction.   
  
…Unlike Leo, who has nobody to point him forward. Well, nobody that he'll listen to right _now_ , at any rate.  He probably wouldn't want to listen to Izumi anyway.   
  
He picks up his iPod, glancing at the dark screen, fingers hovering over it before his hand drops loosely to his side and he stuffs it into his pocket again. He hasn't listened to Leo's songs since everything happened. That brilliant music - the music that was composed for those who were loyal and just - doesn't deserve to pass by the ears of a failure.   
  
"I hate to admit it, you idiot, but we might actually need you. What good are Knights without a King to lead them?" he snorts, kicking at the sand idly with the toe of his shoe. "Look at me, talking to the air like you're dead or something," his voice catches on the word because, in a way, it's true.   
  
He'd seen it in Leo's eyes the last time they'd spoken. The spark of genius was still there, but the childish excitement that had always accompanied it was dulled. The bright flame that had drawn Izumi in and given him hope and life and love in a world that only served to judge him and tear him down was flickering so weakly that he could barely feel its warmth.   
  
In a way, he hates Leo for it – for letting life break him down, for not fighting hard enough to stand his ground and refuse to bend.   
  
But the truth is, he could never hate Leo. On the contrary, he'll cling desperately to him even if Leo ends up dragging them all down into whatever darkness has started to grow within him.   
  
Maybe he's the weak one after all…but then, he's never denied that.   
  
The shuffling of feet against the loose gravel scattered along the rocks startles him, his natural instinct to not interact with anybody making him want to run, but the cold spring wind carries the sound of a faint melody that makes him turn around instead.   
  
Leo looks, if anything, worse than before. The shadows under his eyes are so deep they look black, his hair unkempt and blowing in his face as he stands there. He's barefoot, wearing what could be pyjama pants and wrapped in a coat that looks like it's come out of another era.   
  
And yet, to Izumi, there's something still so _beautiful_ about Leo that it makes him feel physical pain to look directly at him.  
  
Or maybe that's the whole… _guilt_ thing again.   
  
He doesn't want to think too hard about that.   
  
"Sena," he says it without preamble, not greeting Izumi in any other way. He doesn't move any closer, his toes curling onto the bare rock he's standing on.   
  
"You heard?" Izumi doesn't feel like explaining, doesn't want to see the betrayal and disappointment in Leo's eyes, so he stares at the sand instead.   
  
"I wanted to ask you a favor," Leo continues as if Izumi hasn't spoken at all, and Izumi doesn't know if that means Leo _actually_ doesn't know or if he's just preferring to let Izumi suffer in silence.   
  
It's the second one, of course, since he _has_ to know by now, and Izumi thinks absently that it's probably a more effective punishment than anything else could ever be.   
  
"What favor could I possibly do for you?" his voice is bitter and he doesn't look up until he sees a pair of feet come into his line of vision. Leo's much too close, almost touching but not quite, and Izumi lifts his head just enough to meet his eyes.   
  
There's no disappointment there, not really, but that doesn't make Izumi feel better because there's nothing there at all. Leo's face is startlingly blank in a way that it should never be, and Izumi feels like he's looking at a stranger.   
  
It's frightening, both to see Leo so detached and to realize that the one person, the _only_ person that had made him feel things in far too long doesn't exist anymore.   
  
"My sister," Leo shrugs one shoulder rather listlessly, reaching to brush some wayward hair behind his ear. "Look out for her, if you don't mind? Or check in on her once in a while, if you remember," he clears his throat.   
  
"What? Why?" Izumi furrows his brow, thoroughly confused. "Are you going somewhere?"  
  
"Yes. No. 'Somewhere,' indeed, but where..." Leo sounds like he's talking to himself and he taps his chin, staring up at the cloudy sky.   
  
"How long are you leaving for? You can't neglect your studies..."  
  
"Do you know what Knights without a King are, Sena?" he predictably ignores the question and turns away, looking toward the sea. "They're still Knights," he answers, not even giving Izumi the chance to. "But a King without his Knights is merely a pawn. Without protection, without those sworn to keep him from harm, he's just a man," he murmurs, and every word feels like a knife to Izumi's gut.   
  
Because _he's_ the reason Leo doesn't feel protected. _He's_ the reason Leo won't come back. Right now, after all, they're not even in any shape to protect themselves.   
  
"I'm not a pawn, Sena," Leo continues, his voice getting harsher. "Not to anybody. Not to some self-styled pompous emperor that tries to imprison me. I won't be," he bares his teeth, and seeing this kind of emotion from Leo is even more foreign to Izumi than seeing no emotion at all, but somehow for a fallen King it feels justified.   
  
"You never answered me," Izumi broke in, his voice rising frantically without him meaning it to because Leo can't...he _can't_ just leave like this. "How long-"  
  
"Until I find answers," Leo replies vaguely, but Izumi already knows what he really means is 'until I figure out what the questions are,' and that leaves him feeling even emptier.   
  
"I'll check in on Ruka. Probably," he doesn't mean to sound bitter but he can't really help it, although the tiny upward quirk of Leo's lips makes him feel like he's finally said something right.   
  
"There's my Sena," Leo turns, raising a hand and resting his palm against Izumi's chest. It's not really a possessive action by itself, but coupled with the words, Izumi feels his heat beat faster and wonders absently if Leo can feel it, too.   
  
Because the idea that somebody would claim him as theirs- no, more than that, that somebody would _want_ to claim him as theirs- is almost unbelievable.   
  
Leo doesn't say anything else, his eyes trained on Izumi's chest as if he’s watching the rise and fall of it as he breathes. "Remember," Leo looks up, his brilliant green eyes boring into Izumi's own. "There may only be one King, but you're not his only Knight."  
  
It's a scolding, but a gentle one. And Izumi knows it, knows that he didn't trust the others enough to win by their own talents because his fear of disappointing Leo was greater than his belief that they could compete fairly.   
  
He doesn't have to do everything by himself. Naru-kun and Kasa-kun would probably do anything to boost Knights' image again, and he knows by now that even Kuma-kun cares far more than he pretends to or else he wouldn't show up to practice at all.   
  
Somehow, he knows they can rise out of the ashes and start again, and maybe...  
  
Maybe, when that happens, their King will be able to return and take his rightful place as their leader.   
  
"Don't look for me," Leo murmurs, his eyes sad and thoughtful. His fingers curl into Izumi's shirt as if he needs to hold onto something, and Izumi doesn't know what possesses him to grab onto the collar of that ridiculous coat and all but smash their lips together but he does it anyway.   
  
Leo's only response is to tighten his grip, Izumi's shirt balled into his fist, and Izumi knows he has to be able to feel his heart beating now because it’s pounding like it’s going to burst clean out of his chest.   
  
"Sena," Leo looks shocked for about half a moment when they separate, but then he breaks into a grin that holds at least a fraction of his normal mirth. "Wahaha! You always know how to surprise me," he tilts Izumi's head down and kisses his brow, a blessing and a farewell all at once.   
  
The air feels colder than ever when Leo draws away, though Izumi thinks that if he's managed to fan that dying inner flame of his, even if it's just the tiniest amount, then it was worth it.   
  
Leo stuffs his hands into his pockets without saying anything and turns, beginning to shuffle down the beach.   
  
"Hey!" Izumi calls out, not expecting Leo to stop and being a little surprised when he does. "Why are you jealous of Mozart?"   
  
Out of all the things he could ask, he doesn't know why that's what he chooses, but it might be the safest thing since Leo probably won't answer anything directly about himself.   
  
"Why?" Leo looks back for a fraction of a second, the wind whipping his hair across his face. "Why wouldn't I be jealous of somebody who accomplished more by the time he was ten than I will in my entire life? A genius composer? Me? That's the joke, Sena!" his voice is back to being hollow and Izumi regrets asking at all, even though he realizes he may have just gotten the answer to explain why Leo's doing...whatever he's actually planning on doing.   
  
"Didn't the guy also die when he was thirty-five?" Izumi counters, taking a stride forward before stopping himself. "You'll be remembered for _what_ you do, not how fast you do it."  
  
"Maybe," Leo gives him a last long appraising look before turning again and continuing down the sandy shore.   
  
Izumi watches until he's just a speck in the distance, wondering when...or, really, even _if_...he'll ever see him again. The terror that grips him then takes his breath away, a gasp breaking from his lips at the icy feeling that spreads through his body and makes him shiver uncontrollably.   
  
He grabs for his iPod again, pressing play before he can stop himself and jamming the earbuds into his ears in an attempt to block out the world, block out the wind and the sound of the waves, block out _everything_ except Leo's music and Leo's voice.   
  
It calms him, and as he comes back to himself and lets his head clear, he knows he can't stop.   
  
Everything he did was for Knights, and for Leo, and maybe this time - if he lets himself trust the others as much as Leo trusts them all to be his Knights - they can do things right.   
  
It’s the sort of work Izumi hates, but if it will ensure that Leo comes back, it might actually be worth it.      
  
"Honestly. You're the worst sort of annoying idiot," he directs this to the wind again. As he turns to walk back to the train station, he swears he can hear bright laughter and that same tinkling piano melody carried on the breeze, swirling around him like flower petals before fading into nothing.   
  
He won't fade the same way. Not when he has something to prove.   
  
That's a vow he'll make, and this time...this time, he's going to do everything in his power to make sure he doesn't break it.   
  
For Knights, for his King - and, maybe most importantly, for himself. 

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this piece refers specifically to Mozart's Requiem, which was the both the last piece of music he was commissioned to write and the last he ever wrote due to his death before its completion. 
> 
> ~~
> 
> So. Lionheart fucked me up. That's really my only excuse for writing this because it explored Izumi's character so much and made me see him in a new light, and I wanted to put some of my jumbled thoughts and reactions down into a hopefully coherent piece of writing. 
> 
> If you enjoyed this, feel free to leave a comment, and also feel free to stop by my [twitter](http://twitter.com/_mikarashis) where I mostly scream about enstars.


End file.
